Day: 10 April 2026

‘More than 80% of pupil barristers said their overall experience of pupillage was positive, according to a survey published today.

‘The Bar Council’s annual pupil survey – answered by 30% of all pupils – found 83% had an overall positive pupillage experience while more than half (56%) described it as “very positive”.’

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Bar Council, 10th April 2026

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

‘The Court of Appeal in Re J, Re M and Re P (Parental Responsibility) [2026] EWCA Civ 344 has provided authoritative guidance on a fundamental question in family law: whether a person who is not a child’s biological father can acquire parental responsibility by being named on the birth certificate. The court firmly answered that question in the negative, clarifying the meaning of “father” under the Children Act 1989 and resolving a line of inconsistent first instance decisions.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 9th April 2026

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

‘The UK sponsorship regime is undergoing a significant and deliberate shift. The Home Office has introduced a series of updates to sponsor licence guidance over the past year, with further changes continuing into 2026. While many of these amendments are presented as clarifications, their cumulative effect is clear: the compliance expectations placed on sponsor licence holders have been materially strengthened.’

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EIN Blog, 9th April 2026

Source: www.ein.org.uk

‘A reined-in legal ombudsman has vowed to make do with the reduced budget increase it has been allowed – but warned there will be consequences for how quickly complaints can be handled.’

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Law Society Gazette, 10th April 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Bar pupils who attended Oxbridge are 15 times more likely than others to obtain financial awards of £60,000 or more, according to the Bar Council’s latest pupil survey which asked about university education for the first time.’

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Law Society Gazette, 10th April 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘The absence of clear legal powers to prevent people suffering mental health crises from leaving NHS emergency departments has forced lawyers to train healthcare professionals to break the law “in the least harmful way”. That is one conclusion of an investigation by the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB), which yesterday warned that a “significant legal gap” was putting patients in mental health crisis at risk – and creating an impossible choice for staff trying to keep them safe.’

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Law Society Gazette, 10th April 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘The Bar Standards Board has become the latest legal regulator to seek an above-inflation budget rise next year. In its annual business plan for 2026/27, the BSB said it expected its total running costs ‘including our share of the costs of services which we share with the Bar Council – to be nearly £24 million’. This is 12% up on this year’s total of £21.141m.’

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Law Society Gazette, 9th April 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Allianz is seeking damages of almost £300,000 for protests at its UK offices in October 2024 and March 2025, in what is believed to be the first civil case brought against people accused of involvement in direct action with the protest group.’

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The Guardian, 8th April 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘An “opportunistic” thief who stole a handbag containing an emerald-encrusted Fabergé egg and watch set worth up to £2.2m from a central London pub has been jailed for more than two years.’

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BBC News, 9th April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Nottingham is one of a small number of crown courts running “blitz” hearings, where dozens of cases are pushed through in a day, with the aim of tackling massive court backlogs.’

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BBC News, 10th April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk